Gas peessure govebnob



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1..

T. C. HOPPER. GAS PRESSURE GOVERNOR.

No. 339,415. Patented Apr. 6, 1886.

Wllness es N. PL EERS. Photo-Lilhngmpher, Wnhmgton. 0.711

(N o Model) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. C. HOPPER.

GAS PRESSURE GOVERNOR. l No. 339,415. Patented Apr. 6, 1886,

i lll.

E L I H IH; mm1

Hlm;

N4 PETERS. Pkotukhagmphnr, Washingnrn 0,6,

HRW.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 3.

Y 'I'. G. HOPPER. GAS PRESSURE GUVERNOR.

. PatenteApr. 6, 17886.

IIIIIIIIIIHII N, persas Pncwumngupm. wnmnmn. n. u.

(No Mode.)

Y 4 Sheets- Sheet 4. T. C. HOPPER. GAS PRESSURE GOVERNOR.

Patented Apr. 6, 1886.

nu Eik,

N4 PETERS Pmmumgmpw, wnmngean 0.a.

"llinrrnn STnTns THOMAS C. HOFPER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-PRESSURE GOVERNGR.

erncirioffroiv forming Application filed December 14, 1885. Serial No. 135,633.

part of Letters Patent No. 339,415, dated April 6, 18236 @lo model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, Tnorriis G, Horrnn, a

citizen ofthe United States, residingin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Gas-Pressure Governors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in that class of gas-governors in which the valve controlling the flow of gas from the holder to the main or distributing pipe is con nected to a float, the position of the valve and the area of the opening between the holder and the main being determined by the rise and fall of said float, which is subjected to the pressure of the gas in the main.

One object of my invention is to provide for a regulation of the area of the opening between the holder and main independentl of that due to the movement of the valve under the influence of the iloat, further objects being to simplify the construction of the float when made with different internal areas, and to prevent the trembling or shaking of the doat in the operation of the governor. These objects l attain in the manner which will now proceed to describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of a gas-governor constructed in accordance with my invention; Figs; 2- and 3, views of a valve and port regulator forming part of said governor, the regulator being in diii'erent positions from that shown in Fig. l; Figs. fi to l0, inclusive, sectional views illustrating modilied forms of valves toruse in connection with the governor; Figs. ll to 19, inclusive, sectional plans on the lines indicated; Fig. 20, a plan view ot the belifloat shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 2l, aside view of part of the governor shown in Fig. 6; and Fig. 22, aperspective view, on a reduced scale, of the bell-float shown in the various gures.

In Fig. l, A represents a water-vessel in which is guided an inverted belliloat, B, which, in the present instance, has its upper port-ion contracted in area in respect to the lower portion, so as to increase the normal pressure upon the gas in the distributing-main as the doat descends, as set forth in my Letters Pat ent No. 328,681, dated October 20, 1885. The

gas enters the float through a pipe, fc, (shown by dotted lines,) which pipe communicates with the distributing pipe or main, preferablz`r at some distance from the governor.

Suspended from the iioat B by a rod, c, is a valve, D, which, in connection with a ported chest, F, serves to regulate the dow of gas from the inlet-pipe 0 to the discharge-chamber d, with which communicates the distributing pipe or main G. (Shown by dotted lines in Fig. l.) The valve D consists of a simple cylinder open at both ends, and comprises that portion between the lines y y. The buoying action oi' the gas upon the bell is such that the ports of the chest F are uncovered by the valve just sufcient to permit a dow of gas into the main necessary to maintain a desired normal pressure therein, an increase in demand causing the lowering of pressure beneath the bell, and a descent of the same sufficient to cause such additional opening of the ports oi' the valve-chest as will permit a freer flow of gas necessary to supply the increased demand, and adecreased demand causing back-pressure in the main and increasing the pressure beneath the bell, so as to cause a rising of the same and the valve, and a cutting ott of the area of the port-s of the chest F proportionate to this decreased demand. Where the upper portion of the bell is decreased in area,there is an increase in the normal pressure maintained in the distributing pipe or main as the bell falls, owing to the decreased area oi' gas upon which the weight of the bell is exerted, this increase of normal pressure on the descent of the bell being effected also in that class of governors in which weights are applied to the bell as it descends and removed as it ascends.

ln apparatus of this class it is advisable to provide means for governing the flow of gas into the main independently of the automatic regulation due to the movement of the valve under the inliuence of the rise and fall of the bell-lient. For instance, the demand for gas during the summer months is not as heavy as during the winter months, so that in order to supply the heaviest demand during each summer period the valve would not have a range ot' movement which would cause the bell to drop to such an extent as to exert the heaviest pressure upon the gas;lie1ice there could not be maintained in the main a pressure as high IOO as when the full movement of the valve and bell was necessary in order to maintain the supply. For this reason I combine with the Valve or valve-casing an adj ustableportregulator or damper, by means of which the area of the ports may be increased or diminished to accord with the general variations in demand upon the main, the movement ol' the valve under control of the bell-tloat being relied upon to compensate for frequent and temporary variations in demand. This adjustable port-regulator, as shown in Fig. 1, is in the form of a continuation, D', of the valve D, the suspendingrod a being connected to the upper end of the same. In this continuation are formed ports f, which coincide with the ports g of the chest F, these portsf being straight on one side and inclined on the op'- posite side, as shown. The port-regulator can be adjusted circumfercntially by turning the suspending-rod a, so as to throw the ports f more or less out of line with the ports y, a pointer, h, on the upper end of the rod a, in connection with a dial, h', on the upper end of the bell B, serving to indicate the extent to which the ports are open. Then the port-regulator is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the ports ghave a full-acting area,A and the action of the governor is the same as if a plain cylindrical valve were used, as in my former patent; but by turning the port-regulator to the position shown in Fig. 2 the area of the ports g is reduced one-half, so that the same range of movement of the bell and valve is required as would be required by twice the demand upon the main if the ports were fully open, as in Fig. l. By causing the straight sides of the portsf to act as port-closers, as in Fig. 2, the area of the ports g is uniform throughout; but if the portregulator D is turned in the opposite direction, so as to bring the inclined sides of the portsfinto action, the ports y will be of differential area, as shown in Fig. 3. The same effect can be produced by making the ports of the valve-casing straight on one side and inclined on the other, the ports of the regulator being straight on both sides; or the ports ofboth the valve-casing and regulator maybe straight on one side and inclined on the other. The ports f and r/ are preferably increased in size at the lower ends, as shown by dotted lines, so that when the valve is nearing the limit ot its opening movement, and the heaviest pressure is on the gas, less movement of the valve is demanded for a certain increase in port arca than during the beginning of the movement, so that the length ot' the valve and chest can 'be reduced.

Myinventionis susceptible of various modications, both in the construction of the valve and in the construction and operation of the port-regulator. For instance, in Figs. 4, 5, and 13 I have shown a ported valve working through openings in the casing of a chamber, b, communicating with the inlet b, this valve having flanges Q7, which close the openings when the valve is fully elevated, the gas escaping through such an area ofport as is beyond the seats when the valve is open. In this case the port-regulator is in the form of a sleeve, contained within the valve, and secured to the suspending-rod a, which is swiveled to the valve, so that it can be turned in order to adjust the regulator without turning t-he valve, the latter being retained by lugs upon the lower flange, z', engaging with slotted guides in the dischargevchamber (l of the apparatus. (See Fig. 13.) In Fig. 6,.on the other hand, I have shown a port-regulator in the form of a sleeve surrounding the ported valve-casing F, the valve working within said casing, and being in the form of cylinderopen at both ends, as in my patent above referred to. In this case the sleeve forming the regulator has au annular rack, with which engages a pinion on a shaft, m, projecting from the casing of the discharge-chamber, and having a pointer, L, projecting over a dial, L, on the side of the casing A, as shown in Fig. 21.

In Figs. 7 and 14 I have shown a valve structure in which the valve D is outside of the ported valve-casing F, the port-regulator Dl being inside of the same, and having keys or feathers adapted to a longitudinal groove in the suspending-rod a, so that while the port-regulator has no vert-ical movement with the valve or suspending-rod, it must partake of any rotary movement imparted to the latter.

Figs. 8 and 15 show a valve and regulating devices substantially similar to those shown in Fig. 1, with the exception that the gas enters at one side of the casing and escapes at the other side, instead of entering at the bottom and passing up through the hollow valve.

In all of the port-regulators before described a ported sleeve or shield has been adopted; but this :form is not essential to the proper carrying out of my invention, as a pivoted plate in the nature, of a damper is equally available for the purpose of regulating the port area independently ofthe movement of the valve. In Figs. 9, 16, and 17 I have shown one way of using such a damper. In this case t-he valve moves vertically within the ported valve-chest, so as to open or close the ports of the latter inthe manner before described. The regulator D is confined between upper and lower tiXed bearings, s, inthe valve-chest, the valve being slotted for the reception of the supporting-arms of said lower bearing, as shown. Vhen the damper is in line with the opposite ports g, as in Fig. 16, it offers no obstacle to the free flow of gas through the chest in the direction of the arrows, but by turning the damper in one direction or the other the. freedom of flow may be restricted to any desired extent. (See Fig. 17, for instance.) A groove and feather connection between the regulator and rod a is adopted, as in Figs. 7 and 14, so that the said regulator turns with the rod, but does not partake of its vertical movement.

IOO

` sceglie :l

In Figs. i() and 18 I have shown a dat valve, D, guided on the back oi' a partitionplate, I?, which divides the inlet and discharge cham4 bers b and d and has a port, g. The valve is provided with a pivoted damper, D', which can be adjusted by means of an arm, t, on the rod a. In this case the el'ective width ofthe port for the passage of gas is the distance between the back of the valve and the edge of the damper, as indicated by the bracket w in Fig. 18,- this distance being varied as desired by the adjustment of said damper.

To prevent the escape of gas at the top or bottom ot the damper, the valve D may have plates w, as shown. By inclining or curving the edge or edges ofA the damper-plate as shown by dotted lines in Fig. il, l'or insgpance, the same eti-'cctmay be produced as by the use of tapering ports, as in Figs. l, 2. andl.

Vhen the bell B is contracted in are-a, as shown, it is difficult to manufacture, it' the ordinary circularform is adhered to, hence I prefer to makethe bell of triangular, square, or other polygonal form, as shown in Figs. 19, 20, and 22, so that the top and sides of the bell may be made of blanks properly shaped and seamcd together at the corners or edges o, the bell being provided with one contraction, as shown, or with more than one, as muy be desired.

In order to prevent the trembling or shaking movement of the float B, which might otherwise be caused by pulsations in the distributing pipe or holder, I provide the upper portion of said float with anumber ot' internal plates or diaphragms, k, extending partly across the iioat and projecting alternately from opposite sides ofthe latter, these plates serving to retard the vertical movementoi the ilo-at, and thus render it free from the intluence of sudden and temporary changes of pressure in the holder or main. NVhcn the upper portion of the iloat is contracted in diameter, as shown, it becomes advisable to govern the level ot' liquid in the vessel A, so as to provide any desired range of movement ofthe iioat before contracting the areay ol' gas upon which the weight oll the float is exerted, hence I provide the vessel A with a draw-oft' cock, p, and gage p', whereby the level ofliquid can be lowered to any desired extent, the height ot' liquid remaining in the vessel being indicated by the gage.

I claim as my invention l. In ap]laratus for automatically regulating the flow ot' gas, the combination of a valve and valve'chest having ports, as described, whereby the area for the passage ot gas is governed by the movement ot' the valve, with an adjustable regulator, whereby the area of said gov erning-ports may be increased or diminished independently otl the regulation due to the movement ot' the valve.

2. In apparatus for automatically regulating the flow of gas, the combination of a ported valve or valve-chest, an adjustable poi-tregulator, whereby the dow of gas can be governed independently of the regulation of gas due to the movement of the valve, a iioat connected to the valve, and means, substantially as described, whereby the normal pressure upon the gas is varied as the float changes its position, all substantially as specified.

8. In apparatus for automatically regulating the tlow of gas, the combination of a ported valve or valve-chest, an adjustable port-regu` lator, whereby the liow of gas can be governed independently of the regulation due to the movement of the valve, and a iioat connected to the valve and constructed as described, whereby it presents different internal areas, all substantially as specitied.

4. In apparatus for automatically regulating the Aliow ol' gas, the combination of the ported valve or valvechest, an adjustable port-regulator, whereby the flow of gas can be governed independently of the regulation due to the movement ot' the valve, and an operating-rod, pointer, and dial, whereby the proper adjustment ot' the port-regulator is determined, all substantially as specified.

5. In apparatus for automatically regulating the iiow ot' gas, the combination ofthe ported valve or v al ve-ehest, the iioat for operating the valve, an adjustable port-regulator, whereby thelow of gas is governed independently of the regulation due to the movement of the valve, and a valve-suspending rod carrying said port-regulator, and provided with a pointer for use in connection with a dial on thetop ,of the iloat, all substantially as specified.

G. In apparatus for automatically regulating the iiow of gas, the combination of a valve and valve-chest having ports, as described, whereby the area of the gaspassage is governed by the movement of the valve, with a regulator carried by the valve, but movable to increase or diminish the area of said governing-ports independently of the regulation due to the movement ot' the valve, all Substantially as set forth.

7. In apparat-us ior automatically regula-ting the iiow of gas, the combination of the ported cylindrical valve or valvechest with a portregulator in the form of a. ported sleeve tttcd to said valve or chest, all substantially as specified.

S. In apparatus for automatically regulating the iiow of gas, the combination of a valve and valve -chest having ports, as described, whereby the area of the gaspassage is governed by the movement ot' the valve, with a regulator movable to increase or diminish the area of said governing-ports, and adjust-able in a plane at right angles to that in which the valve moves in governing the flow of gas, all substantially as set forth.

9. In apparatus for automatically' regulating the flow of gas, the combination ot' the ported valve or valve-chest with an adjustable regulator, whereby the area of the ports of said valve or chest can be governed independently of the regulation dueto the movement of the valve, said regulator or the ports lI the valve IOO or chest having an inclined side or sides, all substantially as specified.

10. In apparatus for automatically regulating the flow of gas, the combination of the ported valve or Valve-chest with an adjustable port-regulator, the ports of which or of the valve or chest have one side vertical and one side inclined, all substantially as specified.

ll. In apparatus for automatically regulating the iiow of gas, the combination of a valve controlled byalioat and a valve-chest having ports abruptly enlarged in area at and near one end, all substantially as specified.

12. The Within-described bell-float, polygonal in cross-sectional plan, and composed of stepped side plates secured together at the e0rners, all substantially as specified.

THOMAS C. HOPPER.

W`itnesses:

WILLIAM F. Davis, ,-1, HARRY SMITH. 

